*Blows dust off story* It's been awhile, eh? As promised a long long time ago, here's the next chapter. I can't say it's too awesome...I've started my first year at Pratt for writing and this grammar class I have to take-well it's having me second-guess, 'is this the correct way to write this sentence?' So forgive me for the blandness while I stretch my creative thoughts. I missed you a guys a bunch and I smile everytime I'm notified that someone fav'd.
Read, enjoy and look forward to the next-and way better-chapter. Reviews are welcomed with teary eyes and open arms.
The urge was irrepressible, building up—she could feel it, no matter how hard she tried to stifle it; her muscles were already tensing. Her eyes welled up from the attempts to fight it.
Snow leaned against the white board, lazily watching Sazh pace around like he had a purpose until a sudden shift in Lightning diverted his attention. Her mouth stretched into a wide, cat-like yawn, despite her quick attempts to hide it with her hands. She promptly looked down and Snow chuckled. "That was cute," he said good-naturedly, beefy arms crossed in front of his chest. She shot him a squinty-eyed look before giving a pointed 'hmph' and laying her head across her arms.
Hidden from view in the cradle of her arms, Lightning let out another yawn, wincing as a wave of infectious heat radiated from her side.
"Where's the soldier attitude?" Sazh asked, turning around for the twelfth time.
"Give me a few pain killers, some coffee and you'll get it. A reasonable hour wouldn't hurt either."
"No kidding," Serah murmured, glancing around the small conference room; a small, muted ding came from the ticking standard clock, announcing the sixth hour. Why would anyone want to summon us this early? What possible good can come from a bunch of people half-awake?
A sudden startled gasp and Hope jolted from the black sofa; Snow threw him a reassuring grin. "Hey kiddo."
They're all here…. Hope's faint smile was earnest. "Thanks everyone," he said quietly. "I feel kinda awful…I never thanked anyone properly for…saving me—all of you risked your lives and…"
"We'd do it again," Sazh said firmly, spinning around to face him.
"Because we're family," Serah added, holding clasped hands to her heart.
"Because Sis wouldn't have it any other way."
Slowly and trying to ignore the persistently increasing pain, Lightning raised her head, harsh eyes locking onto the blond. "Snow, don't start. I know you're looking for attention, but you're going to have to find some other way to amuse yourself. Look behind you, maybe there're some markers—why don't you draw Serah a picture?"
"Ouch."
The soldier turned her head, feeling a slight blush creep up as she remembered the innocent kiss he had pressed to her lips. You're safe too… "Hope. It's because we all love you. Ok? So don't thank us for it." Her heart told her it was a natural thing to say, but the words left her feeling shyly awkward. And she certainly didn't appreciate the amazed stares she was receiving.
Hope looked down, hiding his tomato face.
Claire, you're so awesome. Smiling, Serah traced her finger along the varnished oak table, smudging at imaginary spots. "We've been here for an hour, can't we just go and come back?"
As if to attest to her suggestion, the electronic door slid open to reveal two GC officials—instantly, the pink-haired soldier's eyes zeroed in on their insignias. She stood up immediately, moving to the side of the table—each movement feeding the flame of pain—standing at attention. Once the officials stepped in, she gave a rigid salute.
Both were tall, one dark-haired and slender, the other a heavyset blond, two silver strips ranking them as colonels; their faces identically grim. Lightning slowly lowered her hand at the blond's slight nod. She noticed the absence of her direct superior, but remained silent. Maybe he's still coming. Never was very fast.
"Sgt. Farron of the GC-BSR?"
"Yes Sir."
"I'm Col. Harvey and this is Col. Millay," said the blond, gesturing to the man next to him. "Would you please come with us?" The questioning tone was merely out of politeness.
The hesitation was slight—slight enough that no one noticed the way her head turned to the side, not nearly enough to actually see him, but enough to indicate her reluctance to leave Hope.
"Of course."
Millay flashed an easy-going smile, dark hazel-green eyes hooded with genuine interest as the female soldier walked past him. "We'll have her back shortly," he assured smoothly, the doors closing behind them.
"Well if he wasn't obvious," Serah said airily, placing her chin in her hand. Snow grinned, nodding at Hope.
"Kid already feels threatened." Snow stretched, strolling over to take a place next to his wife. "Would it ease your nerves to know that no man is as close to her as you are?"
We'll have her back shortly…
Oh where are my manners? You're probably wondering who I am…
His voice…he almost sounded like… Not comfortable enough to dwell on it, Hope shook his head as if to rid such thoughts. Snow 's words drifted over to him and although he hadn't been paying attention to what he was saying, he still found himself embarrassed.
The doors quietly opened.
Snow leaned back, the chair bending to accommodate his weight. "Oh that reminds me, you slept with her last night—how'd that go? Serah said she could be persuaded into snuggling."
Hope sighed and hung his head. "Dad, it's not what you think."
Dr. Wright cleared his throat and Snow swiveled around in his chair; his mouth falling open. "Oh hey Barth…uh…for the record, I wasn't talking about Light, uhm, we just recently got this cat—mean little tiger, really warmed up to Serah though…"
There was silence as if the two men wisely doubted Snow's credibility. Serah sighed. "Yeah, we decided to name her Thunder because…she…acts like Light…eerily enough," she finished lamely.
"Well, I'll have to see this cat—you didn't mention her while I was there." Dr. Wright pulled out a chair for Bartholomew.
"It slipped our minds."
Sazh shook his head. Great, now I bet this lie is gonna grow too. "Doc, let's get the meeting started—we didn't lose sleep for nothing."
"No you didn't. Have you all had breakfast? We stopped by the bakery, they've got excellent coffee. Where's Ms. Farron?"
The door opened once more and the red-haired professor stepped in casually, two officers accompanying him. "We can start without her, can't we? The boy's here and so is his father—more we don't need," William said bluntly, adjusting his glasses.
Wright looked appalled. "Excuse me? What for emotional support—"
"Hope!" Bartholomew quickly strode over to his trembling son.
He remembered him; those strong hands holding him down. It'll only hurt for a second. Angeal's assistant.
She knew she had to go back; they all needed her. But she couldn't and instead, she covered her face and crumpled slowly to the floor beside the artificial potted plant. Normally she doubted she would have cried, but at the moment, she felt uncharacteristically weak. It wasn't solely the loss of Lt. Amodar that caused so much grief within her; it was the way he had done it. He had always watched out for her in a round-a-bout way, a safe distance where he thought it was impossible for her to trace it back to him. It was never as obvious as something like managing to get her out of a mission where the possibility of getting sniped was magnified every time there was a chance of being seen by someone else—no she still had to rely on her wits and instincts, but she had had the best equipment and technology to help her through those trials.
And it could always be traced back to the benevolent armory clerk, who bashfully admitted to following the direct order of the Major General, who shrugged and agreed on taking a favor from an amiable lower-ranked Colonel who happened to be close friends with a Major, whose eye fell casually on a certain lieutenant.
Yet this time, it was a lot more than just giving her the means to survive. Lightning wasn't stupid; if her sister said that she had almost died, she didn't doubt that she had been on the brink of death as were two other people she knew. And if they were all understaffed as Dr. Wright said they were, who's to say they had enough doctors for their patients? I was… Tears trickled down her face into trembling hands. I would've been left to die had it not been for Lt. Amodar's last request. And to have the nerve to promote me as well!
"I don't know what you mean by that Sir," Lightning said coolly, systematically sorting out silver keys on the desk.
"Sure you don't, Farron—an intelligent person like you." This time he laughed, pushing aside the keys to sit on the desk—Lightning's hands stilled and she held her irritated sigh in check, straightening up to stare at her superior. "Keep him around. He's good for you. He'll make you a better soldier."
Masking her surprise, she turned to the window, blue eyes instantly locating and locking onto their target, a silver-haired boy who was desperately running from the members of NORA. In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to just be outside for him to run and hide behind.
"Oh and it's your turn tonight to guard the prisoners," Lt. Amodar added nonchalantly.
"Sir—"
He roared with laughter, coming close to throwing himself off the desk. "And I thought your eyes couldn't get any bigger—don't worry sergeant. I told 'em you're still recovering." He slid off, giving her shoulder a good pat. "Get some rest—how's the new place workin' out for you?"
"Far from town," she replied dryly.
"Ah they'll warm up." He looked at the pile of keys. "Oh and get those sorted, would you?"
Light gave him a blank look and said nothing. Saving Hope would have to wait.
"Lightning? What on earth are you doing on the floor? Are those tear streaks?"
The soldier looked up find Dr. Wright peering down at her. He waved off the small group he had been escorting. "Go on ahead of me—third door on your right." He extended his hand, giving a sympathetic smile. "I'm guessing you still won't accept crutches…" He carefully pulled her up, noting the degree in which she favored her left leg.
Light rolled her eyes as the doctor placed her arm around his neck. "Dr. Wright, I'm not crippled. I can manage walking by myself."
"Oh forget the formalities, Ian's fine. You're a young adult now. And walking? You can forget that too. Honestly, I don't know why you're doing this to yourself…"
Young? "I feel pretty old." She looked at him. He had to be somewhere in his early forties, but with his healthy tan, lack of wrinkles and bright eyes, he could've easily passed for twenty-eight. Ian, huh?
Ian chuckled, grabbing her hand and wrapping his other arm around her waist to support her. "Twenty-one is hardly—" he broke off, eyes widening as the soldier suddenly twisted from his grasp, hissing in pain. She stumbled back, her injured leg giving out from the abrupt pressure.
"Lightning!" He couldn't catch her in time, wincing as she hit the ground hard. A boyish scream sounded from down the hall and Dr. Wright watched in astonishment as the soldier wasted no time in picking herself up.
Furious at himself for causing such a scene, Hope backed away, angry tears filling his eyes. "You lied," he seethed, scratching rabidly at his wrist, oblivious to the raw, flaking, bleeding skin. "You told me it wouldn't hurt—it burns! It's burning me!"
"What'd you inject him with?" Serah cried, wringing her hands.
"Get it off!" Hope tore at the flesh with his teeth, spurred on and blinded by the fear of his own actions. Serah shrieked in shock and Sazh swiftly moved around the conference table, grabbing the boy's arms and crossing them roughly in front of his chest. "Get it off, make it stop!"
"Come on Hope, get ahold of yourself," Sazh gritted. Where the hell did they take Lightning?
Snow slammed his fist against the table, making the breakfast items jump. "I knew we should've waited until the doctor came back!" He got up with force, his chair toppling over behind him, and advanced on the professor. "You know, if I'd found you back in Asnida, I'd have punched your face in—I guess I just have to do it NOW!"
The door slid open and Lightning entered, a hush ensuing rapidly. Professor William could count all the fine lines on Snow's worn black leather glove—if he'd so much as wrinkled his nose, he'd have punched himself in the face with Snow's fist.
Hope opened his tightly shut eyes, gasping for breath when Sazh finally let go of him. Whether it was from adrenaline or the contents of the injection, everything and everyone blurred out. Hazy emerald eyes attempting to focus on Lightning, he stumbled forward, reaching for her outline.
Mustering all her strength, Lightning marched straight for him, her eyes zeroing in on the blood caked around his mouth and his wrist. Can no one else watch out for him? He clung to her, arms weakly winding around her waist. Light cradled the back of his head, leaning down to whisper something.
Snow watched with curious interest. There wasn't a speck of space between them and usually when Hope was anywhere near his heroine, a certain boyish shyness enveloped him. But now…it's like he's not afraid of being pushed away…no, it's like he knows she won't. And Light, everyone knew she had a soft spot for the teenager, but this was different; she had a whole new soft side for him. "Whoa," Snow breathed out quietly. Serah turned to him, her head tilted questioningly. He looked at her for a second before returning his eyes to her older sister. "She's hugging him..."
Serah smiled, nodding in agreement. "I know—believe it or not, I'm sure it's a big step."
"…in front of his father."
Serah's smile slid off her face, where it plopped to the ground and withered away. She hung her head, sighing. You would be dense enough to only see that…
"An outrage! That man would've assaulted me if she hadn't shown up! Dr. Wright, aren't these two guards supposed to keep the peace?"
The two guards had been standing there the whole time, motionless and quietly observing. The brunet finally spoke. "It's not our duty to protect you, sir. We're only here should you need restraint."
"Restraint? What about his restraint? I am here to help the boy, I'll have you know."
Lightning… Hope sniffled, lifting his head. "My…wrist really hurts. It feels weird. Like something's pulling at me." Reflex had him closing his eyes as she wiped his tears.
Lightning nodded, stroking strands of silver hair off the boy's forehead. She let the motion guide her hand behind his ear where her fingers idly trailed down a soft lock. The sight of his blood-stained teeth churned her stomach, especially knowing it came from his own flesh. She grabbed his wrist, clucking her tongue at the marks. This needs to be treated now. "These people don't know what they're doing," she consoled, trying to keep a light-hearted tone. "But I do. And I'm taking you home."
Hope ignored the quickening of his heartbeat. "You are?"
Wright threw a folder onto the table. "Listen, I apologize for this buffoon, and I admit things are a bit hectic, but this meeting is mainly about you Hope—and really, who gave William the authorization to touch you anyway?" He glanced around the room, taking in the angry faces. "I can hardly imagine it was anyone in here—"
"False! I had parental consent—"
"Bull!" With earnest force, Snow slammed his fist into the wall, effectively breaking the plaster. Wright winced, raking his bronze hair back. "You basically forced it down his throat! He didn't know what he was agreeing to! He has no clue what's going on!"
"Snow I understand you're upset, but please don't take it out on my poor walls; I just got the one in the waiting room fixed."
Lightning rolled her eyes and bent down so she was eye-level with the silveret, masking her discomfort as her side strongly disagreed with the movement. She took a steady breath. "Do you think you can bare it a little longer? Since they started examining you, perhaps it'd be best to let them finish." Her vision briefly wavered. Must I get headache now too? "Or perhaps we can just go home and have a teleconference."
Hope swallowed the metallic taste in his mouth. He would do whatever she wanted as long as he got to stay near her.
"Uh Light? Before you go headin' off, you might want to check these out." Sazh slid some of the glossy scans he had pulled from the folder across the table. "Asnida underwent a massive transformation."
The soldier rolled a chair closer to herself, gingerly falling into it. She barely seemed conscious of her actions as she kept her gaze on photos, her arm reaching out to accommodate the weight that was settling on her right leg. "Have you seen these yet?" she asked distractedly. Hope shook his head. He sucked in his breath quietly, clutching his wrist.
"These men got here shortly before you came back, but no one really paid attention to them."
Lightning lifted her head at Sazh's statement. The conference room had certainly acquired more people while she had been gone, including the ones Dr. Wright had been escorting. She turned her attention back to Hope, eyes landing on the mutilated wrist. "You ok? Don't answer that. Ian, can we get some bandages over here?"
"Something's pulling me," the teenager said fearfully.
"I'll be there in a hot second Farron."
An informant finally took charge, stepping in front of the table. He waved his companion over, gesturing for him to set up the projector. "Good morning everyone. My name's Elgin—pleased to meet you all. There have been plenty of delays and I'm well aware the day won't wait. Since we are behind schedule, we'll need to conduct numerous meetings at once." The young man gave a stern frown, adjusting the device in his ear. He glanced at the doctor and the professor. "It has been brought to my attention that the captive cie'th is being held downstairs. They're setting up a station now. You two may take Bartholomew down and I will have Hope escorted later after we're through with questioning."
Snow nodded respectfully as Wright and Hope's father passed before taking a seat next to Serah. He couldn't quite wrap a comforting arm around her shoulders, seeing as they were in different chairs, but because they could spin, he swiveled his chair so his leg brushed against hers. When he caught her appreciative smile, he was more than ready to pay attention to the speaker.
The lights were dimmed and on the projection screen, a blindingly white Asnida was revealed. "This footage was taken in the aftermath of the pillars of light, which caused, an interesting to say the least, explosion. Instead of completely obliterating everything within its radius, like we thought had happened, we've now come to the conclusion that it irradiated in an outward burst, turning everything into…crystal."
Lightning tightened her hold on the young teenager when she felt a shudder tremble through his thin body. She leaned closer. "Where are you?" she asked quietly, meaning the question to bring back his awareness of the current surrounding. She met his gaze when he turned back his head, noticing the sudden clarity in his eyes as if he'd just realized something important.
"With you."
Lightning was surprised to find herself averting her gaze.
Serah gave a breathy gasp, her hands already flying up to her mouth. Snow quickly set down the sausage croissant he was about to eat and stared at the screen. The helicopter was showing an aerial view of the mineral formation and coiled around the middle column in all his tremendous self-sacrificing shimmering glory was the crystalized Leviathan. "Oh Maker," she moaned, hot tears prickling her eyes, gathering at the base of her lower eyelashes. "This is my fault." She began sobbing, lower lip and chin quivering. "I really summoned an eidolon…I really did and then I killed him. I...I made him stay! Even though he warned me—"
"Serah, stop it," her sister scolded, reaching over to grab her arm. "You didn't kill him, he saved you—he saved all of us." Lightning tightened her grasp. "He was there to protect you—"
The younger Farron shook her head, pink hair swinging back and forth in agitation. "So it's ok for him to die?" she cried, tears obscuring the glare she tried to throw at her sister. Never had she wanted someone to die for her. "If I would've let him go—"
"Then we might not have survived," Sazh interrupted gravely, his hands steepled together. "I'm sorry Serah."
"Oh I'm sorry," Serah mimicked spitefully, sniffling. "Oh he was just there to protect you…of course no one really cares…because it wasn't your eidolon that died!"
"C'mon babe, you know that's not true," Snow protested gently, tugging on her arm.
Elgin cleared his throat. "This eidolon…were you able to summon him beforehand?"
At the question, a red-faced Serah looked up, wiping an eye with an index finger. "Beforehand? No, it was my first time…" But it wasn't like I had fought any battles before either. "I hadn't been a l'cie for very long."
"What about everyone else?"
"After completing our focus, we lost our power as l'cie," Lightning said quietly. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to recall the events that had transpired prior to her involuntary spasm-wrenching summoning of Odin. The boat…the way it crashed onto shore—she'd thrown herself off in mid-air and from there, it was a mental blank. She shook her head. I probably cracked it against something. "It was something about Asnida. As soon as we got there, it was like we had no choice but to summon our eidolons."
Sazh leaned forward and tapped his index finger against the polished, stained wood table. "I remember," he said, reclining again. "Sparks. Right when the boat passed the shoreline; rainbow sparks like we crashed through some force field or something."
A chair protested as Snow shifted his weight. "I've got a detail to add too…did anyone else notice their brand? Instead of the black mark, mines was this blue glow that only showed when I used magic."
"Elucidate," Elgin commanded quickly, eyes keen.
Snow blinked, completely dumbfounded. He stole quick glances at everyone else, trying to gather the meaning of the word by their faces; however, neutral expressions did nothing to help him. He couldn't even guess. Elucidate? Something with lucid? Silence ticked by and he was on the verge of nudging Serah when Lightning spoke up.
"You thick-headed oaf, he's waiting for you to clarify further…as in he wants more of an explanation." The caustic acidity in her tone hung in the air, alerting everyone of the soldier's sudden mood swing. Snow slunk lower in the chair, consciously aware of the waves of embarrassment being directed at him.
Claire, that was so mean and uncalled for! Serah linked her arm with her husband. "It's ok, I'm sure Hope didn't know what it meant either," she tried to comfort.
Hope turned back to look at the woman whose lap he was sitting on. In the dim light, her face appeared to glisten with perspiration; eyes closed, her chest heaved with slow, deep breaths. "Light?" he whispered cautiously. Her head jerked toward the speaker.
"Listen." Her tone was solid ice, but the hand gripping his shirt prevented him from getting up. The silver-haired boy gave a meek nod.
"So you saying it wasn't the mark of a l'cie, correct?"
The fighter leaned forward, slightly irritated at how many times he had to repeat himself. "According to your physical description of a l'cie brand, it was not. It definitely wasn't black and it didn't have an eye or funny little lines and arrows. It was just a blue glow."
Elgin checked to make sure his assistant was writing it down. "Understood," he said, taking a step back and glancing at the rolling footage. "Forgive my pestering and if this information could've waited to be collected, believe me I'm sure we would not have contacted you."
Snow sighed, rubbing his face. "No problem, I'm glad I could be of help," he muttered, laying his head down.
Hope sat up, wincing when his arm jerked as if tugged by something invisible. "Sir, what're those holes in the ground?" The chaotic events following his rescue were still a blurry mess to be sorted out, but he recalled enough to know the ground hadn't been riddled with holes before.
The informant paused the video, a serious look on his face. "We were hoping you could tell us. We could find nothing at the site that would have explained them."
Hope immediately looked crestfallen, shoulders slumping. He had no idea what those indentations could be. "I…I don't know. Towards the end…there isn't much that I remember right now." The hand on his back gave him a gentle pat. Taking it as a gesture of reassurance, he didn't move until he felt it again. It was then he realized she wanted him to get up. "Oh sorry," he mumbled, blushing. Gosh, you idiot.
The soldier winced, but tried to pass it off as a strained smile. "I think we've done all we can here," she said quietly, scooting forward. "Let's head down and see what they want with you."
Light… He watched the way she grabbed the chair, using her arms to support her weight long enough to stand up straight; he reached forward, wanting to help her, but froze at the slight warning sound she made at the back of her throat. Hope lowered his eyes, his mouth turning down into a sad little frown. Lightning, you can't do everything by yourself anymore. I won't…I won't let you. Determined to not be shaken off, he quickly grabbed her hand with both of his own, keeping his head down—he didn't want to risk losing his resolve if he witnessed her glare. He tightened his clasp, intertwining their fingers.
That impulsive grab, executed when terror lurked, or when the threat of abandonment was near—Lightning knew it well, but this time he wasn't holding on with insecure desperation. She rolled her eyes and lightly cuffed his head with her free hand, turning around to tug him along. She gave her captive fingers a wiggle, but the grip he had on her didn't loosen. Not quite minding his boyish tenacious, she was, however, relieved that due to the lack of lights and the fact that he was so close to her, practically stumbling into her, no one could really tell he was clinging to her. She didn't feel like dealing with anymore stares.
With bulging cheeks, Snow chewed leisurely, rubbing his fingers together to get rid of crumbs. Carbuncle, I'm still starving. He instantly started focusing on his peripheral vision when his wife tilted her head up as if acknowledging someone behind her, but when a wave of pink hair fell across her face, causing the brief wrinkle of her nose, he lost interest. It's just Sis.
Light didn't think twice of the brisk pace she forcing her body to take; she didn't think how it would worsen her already agitated mood, nor how Hope would chose to adjust to the long strides her legs taking. However, she was distinctly aware of the sharp bites of pain and how Hope frequently collided with her side. Etro, I've had enough! She stopped suddenly, whipping around to glare calmly into green eyes glimmering with fear.
"Hope," she gritted, her voice low and lethal. "Are you that weak that you still need two hands to hold onto me? Or is it merely your way of keeping up—so you don't get left behind?"
Taken aback, Hope loosened his grip, taking a few steps back, but not letting go. Had she talked to him like that months ago, he would've ducked tail and ran. I can see it, you're not really angry at me… The soldier was in pain; her eyes were glowing with it, pupils constricted as if trying to block something out. His left hand fell limp by his side. She was getting progressively worse; pink hair dark with perspiration clung to her forehead and the sides of her face. She was hunching over, pulling his hand down, one arm wrapped around her waist. A labored groan escaped her lips. "Light," he cried, catching her as she collapsed forward. He stumbled back, struggling to keep her from hitting the ground. Breathing heavily, he lowered her down, guiding her shoulder to his lap. He hastily smoothed back her hair, stroking her cheek. "Lightning… You pushed yourself too far." We should've just stayed home.
He looked desperately down the hall. He couldn't leave her and he was too afraid to move her. "HELP!" he shouted. "Someone HELP!" Movement attracted his attention and he looked down, quickly grabbing her wandering hand. "Hey, I'm here," he soothed frantically, caressing her palm. Her face had lost all color.
"I'm fine," she insisted weakly. She couldn't delay things any further. I'll just cause a big commotion and nothing will get done. She squeezed his fingers. "Hope—"
"Lightning?" Snow came barreling towards them.
Just take me home…I'll be fine. Just let me rest. But she wasn't sure if those words ever left her mouth. Eyes closing, she caught a glimpse of black gloved hands reaching for her.
Despite the calming crackle of the fireplace, the house was depressingly heavy with silence. Snow steadily came down in light sheets. Wiping her eyes for the fifth time, Serah took the cup out of the microwave, dropping in a tea bag. With shaky hands, she sprinkled in a couple spoonfuls of sugar. "I love you with all my heart, Snow. I really do. But sometimes you're so stupid," she murmured tearfully. She set the spoon on a napkin.
By the time she'd gotten down the hall, breathless and worried, he'd already had Claire in his arms. It was obvious something was terribly wrong, but blinded by his anger, Snow declared that he was taking her home. Which no doubt Sis probably told him to. Not being aware of the situation, she agreed. "Maybe not stupid, but trusting," she amended.
Only after Snow had dropped them off, lying Lightning on the couch, promising to come back as soon as the guys were finished, did Serah undress her sister with intention of getting her in something more comfortable. She had seen the stiches before, accidentally when Lightning had been getting dressed in the bathroom; however, there hadn't been a red discoloration bleeding beneath the skin then.
Placing the glass on the coffee table, the younger Farron knelt down beside the couch, tucking the blanket around her sister. Claire… "Sis? I made you some tea. Try and drink it, ok?" she urged with a sad warmth. "Snow's bringing Wright… I'd take you myself, but we're so far from town," she gave a deprecating giggle which encouraged more tears, "I doubt I could even carry you without hurting you more."
Serah leaned forward, using the tips of her fingers brush away her sister's hair before pressing the back of her hand to her cheek, lowering it to her neck. Such a strong fever. At her touch, Lightning's eyes fluttered open, their usual sharp spark gone, now glazed with utter fatigue; her lips gave the faintest movement, suggesting a feeble smile. "Oh Claire, I don't even know what to say," she sobbed, holding Light's hand to her cheek. "You can't have her, Etro. I still need her…" Serah laughed. "She won't go with you. She's too strong for that. Isn't that right, Light?"
Lightning's chest rose slowly.
Her face fell, softening to reveal all the love and hope she had for her sister. "Sleep well."
A gentle crisp air swirled into the room, signaling a shiver down Serah's spine. Slipping Light's hand back beneath the wool blanket, she stood up, meeting Snow's sorrowful gaze.
Dr. Wright ushered Sazh to come in faster so he could close the door. "I don't damn believe it," he groused, practically ripping off his jacket and making his way swiftly to the kitchen sink where he rolled up his sleeves. "Right there, the hospital was right next door. All you had to do was carry her there."
In the arms of her husband, Serah renewed her petting with understanding. Snow already felt horrible, and Wright was only pouring salt on his wounds. "It's not your fault," she murmured, stroking his chest. She sniffled, looking up. "It won't do any good to think that." He continued to stare straight ahead, his eyes reflecting the turmoil the guilt was causing him. "She wanted to be home, Snow. That's all. She's going to be fine."
After detangling a somber Dajh from his legs, Sazh clasped the forlorn teenager on the shoulder, unintentionally startling him. Kid's world is falling apart. "Why don't you go up and give your father a call?" he suggested quietly. "Let him know…how the results turned out."
In clear detached detail, Hope watched the doctor briskly dry his hands and arms with a sterile cloth, pulling on a pair of white gloves from the black bag. His movements were jerky with suppressed anger. He wanted to go over to the couch too, to make sure Lightning wouldn't be touched with that anger. He wanted to remind him… Be gentle…she's in so much pain. She's been through so much…you can't make her go through any more unnecessary agony. But his legs were carrying him up the stairs.
Serah carefully pulled back the blanket, folding it over the couch back. Lightning was watching the approaching doctor with a resigned weariness. "Sis, you can still rest, he's just going to take a look," Serah said, attempting at a normal smile.
"Hello Farron," Ian said warmly, sitting on the edge of couch cushion. He placed a light hand on her left leg, right below the knee. "Long time no see…" His eagle eyes scanned her face, pitifully moved as she tried conjure a defiant glare. A sudden presence behind him prevented him from moving on. "Hope, please don't stand behind me—it makes me nervous. Sit beside Ms. Farron. Go on now, I'm sure she'll move if you give her a little nudge." He waited until the boy shyly sat on the very edge, next to the soldier's arm, but then very forwardly gently propped her head on his lap. Serah made herself equally close, kneeling by Hope's legs, resting her chin on her sister's shoulder.
"Alright, take a deep breath for me Lightning, there we go, and on a scale of one to ten, tell me how much this hurts." He slid his thumbs behind her knee, applying a steady pressure.
Hope looked away as Light shifted uncomfortably, his hand wound through her hair. "Seven," she answered, breathing out.
Serah made a face. "Why are you starting with something so trivial?" she complained.
"This might seem mean, but I need to make sure this hurts as much as it's supposed to. Stay with me, Farron." He moved his fingers. "Here?"
Lightning gritted her teeth, involuntarily squeezing the hand she found herself holding onto. "…Eight," came her strained reply.
"He—" He couldn't stop the pressure in time, he yanked back his hands, having felt the strong ripple through her body.
Her upper body torched with an excruciating swiftness, she arched her back.
"Lightning, calm down, I'm not touching…" He noticed her tense trembling; a low, agonized whine escaped her lips. His eyes trailed down her vest to the growing blotch of dark red. Shit. "Fuck. Hold on, Farron. Serah, get him away."
Color drained from Hope's face and he suddenly felt faint. Lightning! He couldn't move, shock paralyzed his speech and movement; Serah forcefully pulled him back before shrieking for Snow.
Wright acted with professional speed and precision, gloved hands hastily ripping the buckle from the vest. He unzipped the turtleneck, feeling his stomach drop with the severity of the wound; it wasn't only the fact that all the stitches had ripped open, but the raging yellow infection they revealed. Maker, she's not going to make it like this. "Stay with me Lightning, keep yourself arched if you can—that's it, now breathe."
Serah wobbled, grabbing Hope's arm for support. She opened her mouth again, gasping. "SNOOOOOOOOW!"
In a flat second, the fighter came barreling down the stairs, Sazh not far behind. Snow covered his mouth; the fact that he was seeing Light shirtless didn't even register, it was the profusely bleeding, fleshy gash that claimed her side that stole his attention. Aw hell.
"That's it Farron, you're doing wonderful, keep breathing—Snow, I need you here now, support her shoulders."
Every ragged, vicious breath Lightning took tore at the wound. Lessons and mission morals came flooding back to her. Don't get swept away, keep a cool head, don't let your emotions take over, it's all about mind over matter, to be successful one must be detached, methodical and unrelenting, pain can only disable you if you allow it—it all gave away, leaving her raw, shaken and defenseless, completely susceptible to the intolerable agonizing despair. I can't do this!
"We have to lift her up!"
Her tortured scream pierced the air the moment her body was moved. Anguish filled her continued cries; Snow gritted his teeth, his world turning upside down as he witnessed the fierce woman, the strong, stoic soldier he'd always known to be in control, fall apart before his eyes. He could only hold her as the doctor, with bloodied hands, doused the wound from an unmarked clear bottle before trying to grab the slippery, angry skin in an attempt to stich it back together.
The doctor gave a grunt as the woman before him twisted from his grasp. "I know it hurts sweetheart, try and keep still—kicking won't do any good."
Sazh didn't even notice Hope vomiting on his shoes before passing out.
"Hang in there Lightning, hang in there," Snow encouraged. The swell of her breasts quickly became speckled with blood as Wright reached over to check her pulse; her chest rose quickly with hyperventilated breath.
"Sazh, I need you over here."
Snow swallowed when he saw the size of the needle. "Sis, bite me."
A savage growl began to build up in her throat; Sazh tightened his arms around her writhing body. "Damn it, bite me!" He gave a gargled groan as sharp teeth instantly clamped down on his arm; he inhaled abruptly, closing his eyes.
The doctor used his teeth to rip the thread, shaking his head at the amount of blood lost. "Turn her over a bit, time for the exit wound…"
Her struggles became weaker, the biting pressure released to be replaced with soft, pitiful cries. It hurt Snow just the same as if she'd bitten him with a thousand razor-sawed teeth. "Oh baby…"
"Lower her down gently, keep her on your laps."
Snow and Sazh carefully obliged.
He cradled her against his chest, locking eyes with her. Her eyelids were swollen, face flushed to a fevered rosiness, damp hair clinging in curls to her face, a tormented vulnerability surrounded her. She stared at him, vaguely accusatory as if she blamed him for not protecting her from the pain. Snow held her closer. I gotta distract her. "I know you may not always think the highest of me and perhaps sometimes I do do stupid stuff…and while most of the time you're exasperated with it, sometimes you smile, you laugh…so what if it's at my expense… I…love you Sis. I care about you—we are family," he gave a sad grin, "I'm sure you're only thinking about how much you want to hit me for holding you like this, it's ok, I'll accept my punishment once you're better… Really, it hurts," he blinked, chuckling as tears started to roll down, "it hurts to see you like this."
Snow… Awareness was slipping, numbness taking its place. She focused on a tear trickling down his cheek. Serah's right. You try really hard.
Turquoise eyes cognizant, yet cloudy, she gave a small shudder as Wright cut the last thread. Her body relaxed.
"That was a pretty choppy speech," Sazh commented thickly, passing the medical bag over.
Snow swallowed, brushing away strands of Light's hair. "It came from the heart."
"And that's what matters; it calmed her down a bit." The surgeon swabbed the area with an antiseptic pad, wiping away access blood. "Though it could've been due to the amount of blood loss," he added somberly. He leaned back on his heels, looking up at the ceiling. "Oh Maker," he breathed out heavily. "Oh Maker," he repeated, shaking his head. He looked over at the two small bodies heaped on the floor. "Serah? Hope? You two alright?"
The younger sister raised her head meekly, every limb shaking she looked ready to lose it. "M-maybe y-you should keep her… If she's in a hospital…" Her face crumpled.
"That would be for the best. But at the moment, it would be unwise to move her; she's incredibly weak right now. Do you think you could gather up some pillows and warm blankets? How's Hope doing?"
She looked down at the young teenager, wiping her eyes. "He's out."
Copying her gesture, Sazh grimaced. "He went out on me too."
Dr. Wright absentmindedly gently patted the pink-haired woman's leg. "Well maybe if he hadn't had any solids, it wouldn't have been so bad. Anyway back to business, in an hour or so, it should be safe to move her onto the couch." She's not going to be able to recover like this… He raked his hair back and glanced at his watch. "I'll be back tonight…I think our safest best to make sure she gets better is…to induce a coma. Once in a deep state of unconsciousness, her body will finally be able to focus on healing rather than struggling to keep up with her."
A coma? At the moment it was too much and Serah couldn't handle it—not by herself. She was still shaken by the battle at Asnida, mentally and physically exhausted, fraught with worry about everyone's recovery. She needed her sister—she had been so close to dying before. I need to know you're alright, being in a coma is like… "What if she dies?" she struggled not to sob. Her blue eyes became distant.
Remember…I promised I'd take care of you…
Her lip quivered. You never hesitated, you didn't think twice… Her own words trickled between her thoughts. Don't be so hard on yourself. We won't let you down. Serah gave a solid nod. "Ok." You'll see, I can be strong too.
The doctor got up slowly. "I'll check on Hope. I'll swing by later this evening with an anesthesiologist for Farron, along with some blood transfusions. If everything goes according to plan, she'll be in the hospital tomorrow morning." He saw Serah's crumbling bravery as her hand tightened around her sister's. "It's risky to have a coma patient not constantly monitored," he added, bowing his head.
"Thanks Doc," Snow said, leaning his head against the couch, eyes closed. The lapels of his gray trench coat were smeared with browning blood. He swallowed heavily, eyelids flickering as they tried to contain tears.
Dr. Wright looked down at Lightning, unable to say anything in return.
Serah draped the blanket from the couch over her sister. "Don't worry Sis, I'll erase their memories," she promised, stroking her cheek. Wiping carefully at the blood on her neck, she inhaled deeply. "I'll be right back, I'll get a wash cloth."
Sazh nodded over to the living room; Snow followed his gaze. They had placed Hope on the couch to rest, but now they found him curled close against his heroine. "They're both tuckered out."
Serah bit her lip, slipping from her husband's arm. She walked over to the grief-stricken boy, kneeling down next to him. "Hey honey, why don't you give Light some space, hm?" She rubbed the back of his head, idly combing through locks of silver. She peered over his shoulder, watching his eyes droop. He's so mature at times, it's easy to forget he's four years younger…and really, in a way…just a kid. A kid who no doubt misses the loving, nurturing attention of someone close.
"Space?" he repeated, his voice soft and unsure. She traced the bruise on the side of his face, going back to stroking his hair. After a while, she seemed to get his interest, large green eyes turning to her.
"You still need to rest, Hope; your body still has some recovering to do. Ok?" He gave a slight nod, turning back to Light, watching the flames from the fireplace cast shadows on her serene, sleeping face.
"She'll be fine. The doctor gave her some pain medication, just like he did you."
In a way, he didn't seem convinced; he looked undeniably lost. It tugged on her heartstrings, and she leaned forward, pressing a chaste kiss to his cheek. "Everything's going to turn out ok, you'll see. In a week, she'll be up."
Snow set his cup down. "Alright, so you take Hope to his room and I'll put Light on the couch."
"Got it." Sazh pushed his weary self from the counter, hearing his joints give a pop at the sudden movement.
Her screams. They were in replaying in his mind. And he knew how it happened. His eyes fluttered closed.
Her gunblade came down on the skull of a crawler cie'th, killing it instantly. She whipped back as one tried to scale Odin's shield. Arms raised, she was momentarily defenseless—the creatures pounced on that moment with a greedy sickness—a hollow prong suddenly impaled her through her side.
The warmth on his hands, his arms…
"No good comes from spacing off like that." Sazh pulled back the blankets. "A good rest will do you some good." He watched the teenager crawl into bed. This is a lot for him to handle. With fatherly awkwardness, he sat on the edge of the bed, letting silence settle before asking, "You wanna talk about it?"
Talk about what? The fact that I'm a monster? That I can annihilate everything around me in half a heartbeat? Hope huddled beneath the blankets, closing his eyes, trying to lose himself in the warmth that surrounded him. I'm home and home is safe. But Lightning…is she safe? I promised I would protect her. "I'm tired." Invisible chains tightened around his wrists and he peeked over the edge of the covers to make sure Sazh was still there. The pressure disappeared. Could the doctor put me in a coma too?
"At least you'll be able to get some sleep now, right? No more shakin'?" Sazh patted the nearby lump, which after a few taps he was able to distinguish as his hip. Boy needs more meat. "I'll leave the door open," he offered quietly, giving his hip one last pat.
Hope felt his limbs lock as an obvious weight suddenly left the mattress. He stared at the desk pressed against the wall in the middle of the room. "G'night Hope." The boy blinked. Don't go…just sit on the bed a little longer.
True to his word, the door was kept open—wide open in fact. Orange light spilled into the room as did the sounds of his makeshift family moving about. Hushed voices of Serah and Snow lulled him into a sense of security and even the creaking footsteps of Sazh making his way down the stairs proved comforting.
Though in the end, his eyes were still wide open. Mute's blood ran through his veins. His body was too weak to do more than acknowledge the potential energy—danger—it housed.
Serah folded the blanket over her arm, smoothing out wrinkles and repeating the gesture absentmindedly. The dying fire gave a few pathetic pops, mini explosions of embers glowing on the ashy hearth. What a long day.
"You can pet the quilt a little longer, but then you gotta promise to come to bed, alright?"
Serah jumped at his voice, a tender smile habitually forming when brawny arms wrapped around her, the stubbles on his cheek brushing against her ear. "I need you," he confided. His voice was low and she could feel it rumble in his chest, sending vibrations through her back and shivers down her spine.
Oh… Her face warmed and she stroked his arm. "I-I'll be up in a bit…I just need to…"
"Take your time." A kiss was pressed to her cheek.
After he was gone, she quickly set the blanket at the foot of the couch and glanced over at her comatose sister. Her left hand was atop her stomach, a pulse oximeter attached to her index finger to measure her heart rate and oxygen level. It was wired to transmit its data to a similar device Wright had. Serah leaned down, kissing Light's cheek. "Take your time," she smiled, placing a hand over her heart, "I promise to hold things together…and I'll take extra care of Hope. See you in a week."
"I know it's cold, but with the house all dead quiet like that I'm not gonna disrupt it. You can go back inside if you want."
The little chick stayed quiet, opting to hop out of Sazh's snow-covered afro and stuffing its feathery body between his neck and coat collar.
"…Givin' an old man the chills," Sazh grumbled. He held the phone to his ear once the ringing stopped.
"Sazh? Thanks for calling back. How's Hope? He…wouldn't talk to me. William told me what happened… But he's alright, right? It's not like he'll…"
Sazh scratched his head, keeping his anger in check. "You worried your son's gonna be a monster? That it?" No wonder Hope didn't call him.
"No no no, I'm just worried he's going to hurt himself. Hey, I heard they're making you go back to Ansida."
"Yeah. In five days and then they swear we can go back to our lives. We'll see how that goes." He paced the front steps, eyeing the barren surroundings. "Anything you want me to tell your son?"
"…I was…thinking about Lightning and that it would be best for him to recover where he feels the most comfortable…but I think a fresh start is what he needs. I don't want him to go on the trip. He's been through so much, I need to get him away. Sazh? Hello? …Sazh, are you there?"